Unfortunate First Post, But My Eva Really Needs Me & I Really Need Help.

catatonique

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Hi, if you are reading this. This is my first post. A friend directed me to this website as I have never heard of it, and I hope to become a more active member of the community. I am going to apologize in advance for the really long post but I want to give people a full run down of my situation. If you just want to help, the link is https://www.gofundme.com/ez74cscs.  One of my best friends set it up for me, so that is why it says the campaign is by Ashley, and not Steph (you will see me and Eva both mentioned in the info and our photo). If you need further detail, please continue reading.

A little background on me. My name is Steph, I am currently working part-time (due to lack of hours and job loyalty) and sometimes do some freelance web development projects to keep me afloat. Don't let the web developer fool you, I usually work with smaller businesses, who really can't afford the high end of prices.

Now about my Eva, because this is not about me. I have had my cat Eva since I first moved out of my mother's house about 10 years ago. She was my first "full responsibility" as an adult. I was moving to college &my brother's girlfriend at the time was allergic (I am her 3rd owner, I estimate she is around 12). They had a home set up for her, but the morning after I brought her to my moms house to transfer her to the new owner, I woke up with her curled around my head and knew I was claimed. She has been with me through many life changes, the death of my father, my grandmother, ad a few years ago her friend Frank the Bunny.

On October 8th, I woke up and Eva was limping very badly. She would not put any pressure on her leg and I rushed her to the vet. He did a quick exam, some X-Rays, an injection and some blood work. He sent me home with 3 pain pills (not sure if I can mention names here) and told me to start them the next day and she would start feeling better. She seemed to be improving and I was happy.

This past Friday, October 23, I took her back because she was just not acting right. My partner in crime, who would ALWAYS need to be near me..either sleeping by my my side, on the back of the couch by my head, or in the bathroom ...as they do was hiding in the computer room under the futon. This alone was cause for concern. She also stopped eating, was limping again, and had lost some weight. On Thursday night her nose had started ruining and her eyes as well. So naturally, I rushed her back to the vet. He looked her over and she had lost 2lbs and he could tell she was sick. He ran some more blood work and said I could bring her home.

On Saturday, October 24, I went about my day as usual. I was at lunch with some friends and the vet called me to have her immediately hospitalized because her levels were so low. He said she was having kidney failure. I immediately freaked out, left the restaurant, and went straight home to grab her and get her in. Now had I researched this particular place I was told to go to, I would have never gone there and would have found an alternate one. But it was close, I didn't have time to research, and an emergency is an emergency. The care she got was very good, and the vets and techs were very nice but lets just say they take advantage of you being freaked out in their pricing by at least 3-4x the normal rate. My high estimate was over 4,500. Luckily, my best friend is a vet tech and told us what was actually necessary and what wasn't. (I didn't take her right to her vet because they are 1.5 hours away and I did not want to risk that, also they are not a 24 hour emergency clinic and were closed).

I was informed at the time she was having renal failure, showing signs of pancreatitis, had a heart murmur, her BUN was at 174, her creatnine was at 10.6, her red blood cells were low , she had an abscess i her mouth and I am sure something else I can't remember because I'm on day 5 of vet visits. Now you may ask how I "let" her get this bad, but up until the time of her limp she was showing no signs, eating normally, playing, running around. Two weeks ago all of her blood work was normal, according to the local vet.

This morning, I picked her up from the Emergency and drove 1.5 hours to the vet office my friend works at, dropped her off with a doctor I know, and drove 1.5 hours back. They are keeping her until Wednesday or Thursday, then she may have to stay at my moms for the weekend because while her levels are fine now if her red blood cell count drops again they will need to give her 1 injection tomorrow, then 2-3 more next week. At my last update a few hours ago, she was doing very good, had much more energy, and was being "sassy" as described to me by the vet. Which is my old girl!

Unfortunately, her being better for the time being does not eliminate all of these bills. My current bills are at $3,289.20. I was able to pay a chunk of that between my two friends who came with me to the Emergency Clinic pitching in, and Care Credit. I am not sure how much the bill for today-Wednesday or Thursday are but I do know if they have to do the injections alone that will cost me approx $7-800 plus the overnights, etc. So I am trying to prepare for the worst. I estimate in the end my bills may add up to somewhere between $5-6,000.

I hate asking for help, I really do. And actually, I am not the one who even set up the GoFundMe I am about to post, one of my best friends who knows my financial situation does (and set it to have the money sent to me). But at this point. I really have no other options. I have no problem showing anyone thinking of donating a photo of the bills, giving them the current vets name, or the local one I visited before, or the emergency clinic. I figured the more detail, the more you would understand the situation and know someone with this much detail could be trusted. But feel free to ask me for anything, I don't mind. Again, that link is https://www.gofundme.com/ez74cscs.

If you can not donate, and still read this far. If you could just share...that would also be appreciated. Thank you for reading!
 
 

mani

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MOD NOTE:

To all members, a reminder that it is YOUR responsibility to check out these solicitors to the best of your ability. Ask for references, phone numbers, call around the area and find out if this is a legitimate cause or a scam. Thecatsite.com does not stand behind any solicitation of funds for any reason that appear in the forums unless explicitly authorized. Be very careful before you send any money: no matter how effective the plea is, check it out first before opening your wallet. For more information, see http://www.thecatsite.com/t/69654/pleas-for-money

Please note that this is a generic note added after all pleas for money.
 

mrsgreenjeens

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Wow, so it sounds like she has acute kidney failure rather than chronic kidney failure.  That is usually caused by poison!   Is it possible she got into some somehow?  Anti-freeze is one of the main things animals consume that causes this, and it's getting to be that time of year
  (I guess.....we don't use that stuff here where it doesn't get cold)    Whatever, I'm just glad she appears to be getting better.

AND, I see you are gettng donations, which is good
.  it always helps when people see that others are donating


Please keep us posted on Eva's progress, and best of luck on your fund raiser. 

 
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catatonique

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Hiya,

Thanks for your post and concern. Maybe it was acute, honestly I am on my 3rd doctor in 5 days and at this point I have so many numbers and conditions swirling around my head that it just feels like jelly.

She's an indoor cat, so she couldn't have really gotten to any poisons such as antifreeze. I don't keep any food that are hazardous to my cats inside my apartment (I actually have lists on my fridge of what is bad for them, I'm THAT cat mom - and let's be honest I am in NY, cooking here is frowned upon 
  though I am going to have to start taking it up to save money), and I'm not really a plant person because I just can't keep them alive. I have other cats, so I am very cautious as to what I have around. There's no way of her getting out because I am the top floor with no outdoor access that she could easily get to. BUT the medication the doctor had her on, when I looked at the side effects almost every one listed was what she was exhibiting. So I am starting to believe that had something to do with it and the current doctor said that it's likely that this is correct. There is a number to call, where I can discuss this with them and once I have confirmation I plan on doing so.

In any case, she is doing really well today. Her PCV went up to 22 (it was 18 yesterday, 13 before the transfusion, and 17 on Sunday after the transfusion), she gobbled up both her breakfast and lunch, and she has gone from 5.6 to 6.4 lbs. My friend (the tech at the hospital) who knows her well says she has gotten much of her sass back and is acting so much more like herself than she was yesterday when she was admitted there. So far, so good and I am just keeping my fingers crossed that she keeps progressing
.

Like I said, I have other cats but she is my baby. She's the most affectionate and the one I've been with the longest. I really will and would do anything in my power to help her live a longer and good life!

Again, thank you for your thoughts and good wishes! I really appreciate it!!
 

catpack

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What pain medication did the first dr give you? Onsior? I only guess because you say it has 3 pills.

If so, if Eva was dehydrated at the time the medicine was given (which sounds possible since she wasn't eating), then, yes, this could lead to acute renal failure.

Did the first vet give her any fluids at the visit?

Has she received any fluids since?
 
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catatonique

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Heya,

Yes, you are correct it was Onsior. I was unsure if we could speak about medications by names here and did not want to risk getting yelled at.

He did note that she was dehydrated, and they gave her fluids on the 8th. He also did some blood work that day, xrays (because of her limp), she was sedated, given Meloxicam, and sent home with the Onsior and told me to give it to her over the next 3 days (starting the 9th). She only ended up ingesting two because the third she was crafty with and coughed up in the bathroom (I know for sure the other two she took because I had her next to me for at least an hour after, that Saturday one she got mad at me and wandered in to the bathroom).

On the second visit to that doctor when she was acting really weird, they did an exam, total T4, Chemistry Profile, PLI, FeLV/FIV Combo Test, Blood Cytology and gave her Doxycycline and sent her home with me. No fluids that time.

The following day (Saturday), when I had to take her to be hospitalized I have an itemized bill but to answer your question, yes she was given fluids throughout the weekend.

At the vet she is at now they are giving her fluids through tomorrow, possibly Thursday depending on where she is at. They are also testing her regularly and keeping me posted.
 
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